Brice, averaging about 12 a game, is “one of the fastest players I have coached in my 23-year career,” Crace said.

“Wheat and Brice give us a good guard combination,” he said. “We don't have much size with this group.”

Coweta is a member of the Metro Lakes Conference.

It has a bit of a different look from the days when Miami was a charter member in 1982 with Claremore, Pryor, Tahlequah, Tulsa Webster, Tulsa Kelley, Owasso and Bixby.

The league now includes Claremore, Pryor, Tahlequah, Grove, Collinsville, Skiatook, Glenpool and Keys — which briefly was a member of the Verdigris Valley.

Six of the girls’ teams are currently ranked in the top 20 of their class.

Coweta has been playing in the tournament since 2014.

“The NEO tournament is attractive to us in that we can get away and stay for a few days in a quality tournament,” Crace said. “It just helps our team come together a little more than we would normally have a chance.”

Edmond North is one of five returning champions.

The others include the Welch and Fairland girls and Tulsa McLain and Nowata boys.

Daily tickets are $9 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens.

A tournament pass, good for all 72 games at all three sites, is $20.

The tournament’s major sponsor is American Bus Sales of Collinsville.

The City of Miami, Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and Miami News-Record also are sponsors.